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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27500896">The Box</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anhilliator1/pseuds/Anhilliator1'>Anhilliator1</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Destiny (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, I can't write romance, Marriage Proposal, Probably cringe, Romance, Short One Shot, i guess, romance is hard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-08 02:47:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,147</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27500896</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anhilliator1/pseuds/Anhilliator1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ada-1 has known the Guardian for a long while. When he suddenly leaves a box on the table, she itches to know what is inside.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ada-1/Guardian (Destiny)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Box</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey all! I wrote this as a sendoff of sorts to Ada, who was Vaulted at the release of Beyond Light. She was one of my favorite characters, and I hope Bungie will bring her back. Until then, I'll wait.</p><p>(I can't write romance, so please have mercy.)</p><p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Ada examined the strange box that the Guardian had brought in, along with the note that he had brought along with it. The box itself was oddly similar to the one that had held the decryption device, if much smaller. The note itself read as follows:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The first key is located here.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Following that was an address for a seemingly random Ramen shop somewhere in the Last City. With everything happening at the moment, she hadn’t really made time for much of everything else. The box itself was something that she had not expected to happen with the current predicament.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, if it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>him, </span>
  </em>
  <span>then Project Stronghold could wait, at least for now. She glanced over her shoulder, then left the room that had served as her home for many, many years.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Many eyes drew her way. After all, it wasn’t every day that you see someone like her wandering the streets. The Radiance only made her stand out more. She pondered why, exactly, the note had led her here. One or two Guardians had attempted to strike up a conversation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pushed past them, of course. Even with the Armory open to them, she was wary of them. Now, where was that shop? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ah. There it was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The owner caught sight of her. “Ah. There’s our lucky customer!” A key, wrapped in paper, was pressed into her hand.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Friend of mine handed me this and told me to give it to you. Showed me a picture, even.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This ‘friend’... he wouldn’t happen to be a Guardian, would he?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The owner smiled. “Yep, I’ve known him for a while, now. Cayde brought him here on a regular basis. After that old friend kicked the bucket, he was one of my most regular customers. Of course, with everything going on, he’s been a bit busy, but he stops by to say hi every once in a while.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The owner leaned forward. “Even with the people losing trust in the Vanguard right now, he still does his best. Sometimes, I wonder what it’s like, being a Guardian. You could’ve done whatever in your past life, but all of a sudden, </span>
  <em>
    <span>bam, </span>
  </em>
  <span>you suddenly get a second chance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not all of them are good, though.” Ada interjected.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“True, true, Then again, sometimes, people can defy expectations. Hell, if you told me a couple of years ago that we’d be working with the House of Light, I would have called you crazy! And yet, here we are.” The owner chuckled. “ Anyways, I think I’ve rambled on for too long. I’m sure you have better things to do with your time than talking to a ramen shop owner.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The second note directed her to a different building; or rather, a door in a complex. She knocked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door opened. “Hello, dear! It’s good to see you outside for a change!” Eva. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The old woman motioned her inside. “Come in, come in. It would do me no good to keep a guest outside, now, would it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Within a few minutes, the two were sitting around a small table, with Eva pouring two cups of tea for the both of them. She knew that Ada wasn’t able to eat like other Exo, but it was still a courtesy that she refused to no one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He always liked talking about you whenever he stopped by to visit, you know.” Eva took a sip from her cup. “Sometimes it was patrols, sometimes it was a mission, sometimes it was simply whatever he was dealing with - but somehow, he always wound up talking about you.” Another sip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To the rest of the city, he’s a hero, someone who helped bring the Last City back from the brink many times.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And to you?” Ada asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To me, he’s like any other Guardian - People, given a second chance at life. People that need comfort in a world that they don’t know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Comfort?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh yes. A kind word or two can make all the difference in the world.” Eva took another sip. “Oh! I almost forgot - Here, this is for you.” She drew another paper-wrapped key from her pocket. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ada glanced at it, then Eva. “Do you, by any chance, know what’s in that box?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eva’s eyes glimmered with mischief. “Now that would just be telling.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The Farm. It wasn’t as bustling as the City, to be sure. However, there was a certain charm to it. A group of children kicked around a soccer ball nearby. She checked the note again. Somewhere around this space was the third key. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” a voice called, “Haven’t seen you around these parts.” Ada glanced around. Her eyes settled on a woman in a red and white poncho.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Name’s Hawthorne. Ada, right? Working with Lakshmi on that ‘Project Stronghold’ thing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ada nodded, a little taken aback. “I am... “</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hawthorne grinned. “Thought so. Normally, you’d see me somewhere in the City; but sometimes I come down here to see who wandered in. Usually it’s Guardians.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guardians?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hawthorne nodded. “I know they’re a bit of an untrustworthy bunch, but sometimes, when you need them to, they’ll pull through.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That much is true. One of them helped reignite the forges.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, that guy, huh?” Hawthorne smirked. “I know him. Turned up on my doorstep like a lost puppy. But hey, somehow, he managed to reclaim the City, so it’s not all bad on his end, I guess.” At that moment, a hawk came down and landed on her arm. “Hey Louis.” Louis cawed. “Well, if you’re looking for something, I suggest checking by the watermill. That Guardian stopped by a few days ago; I think he hid something over there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright. Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Watermill, watermill… Ah. There. Now, where was the key? She checked under several of the bushes. Nothing. A glint of metal caught her eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She crouched down. Sure enough, the key was there. Another note.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She unwrapped the note from the key.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Return back to the Armory.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Return?</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>She found the fourth key laid on the table, next to the box. </span>
  <span>One by one, she inserted the keys into the box and turned them with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>click. </span>
  </em>
  <span>The lid came open with a small </span>
  <em>
    <span>creak. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Sitting inside, on a velvet cushion, was a small metal ring. She gently lifted it out and examined it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two bands of metal, one red and one black, wrapped around a third band of gold. Nestled on top was a small metal carving of a butterfly, the House of Meyrin’s symbol. </span>
  <span>She examined it closer. It was simple, yet beautiful. Tiny imperfections and small areas where the ring wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>quite </span>
  </em>
  <span>symmetrical indicated that it was handmade.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her gaze returned to the box. Another note was attached to the lid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is up to you whether or not you choose to wear it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She glanced at the ring, and the note, and slipped it on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It fit perfectly.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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